The issue

Addiction and the abuse of pain medication leads to tens of thousands of deaths a year. Many of the deaths associated with drug overdoses involve opioids. The CDC has committed a lot of time into fighting the opioid overdose epidemic by collecting data, tracking overdoses, monitoring prescriptions given, and working with public safety. Prescription monitoring programs can help by alerting a professional of potential drug abusers. Pharmacists and physicians have taken the initiative to do what they can to prevent the abuse of these drugs. They are constantly trying to prescribe the correct drug in dosages that will work for their patients while hopefully limiting the chances of giving a quantity that will go unused and in turn may fall into the wrong hands.

Actions being taken

Doctors have been advised to monitor the amount of opioids they are prescribing. This way, their patients aren’t left with large quantities of unused or unneeded medication based on their pain and needs.

There are multiple ways to minimize a patient’s pain and if it can be managed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories like Tylenol, Aspirin and Ibuprofen that is the ideal option. However, some doctors also choose to utilize longer lasting local anesthetics after a surgery to manage discomfort instead.

Through awareness and education many practices have their own policies in place to help decrease these problems in addition to any other legal obligations. This can be something as simple as providing people with clear disposal recommendations.

Importance of ethical disposal

The disposal of prescription drugs varies state to state. The responsibility that healthcare facilities take to avoid misuse and contamination from opioids is a vital part of saving lives. Prevention is difficult and legislation may change often, so keeping track of current guidelines and return policies is crucial to any company. Taking the initiative to ensure your facility is doing what it can to avoid diversion is allowing you to be a steppingstone in the right direction.